Dua Lipa, Pa Salieu, Joy Crookes, Little Simz, Celeste and Bicep were among the British artists who were honoured at the UK Music Video Awards 2021, held at The Roundhouse in London on November 4th. You can view the full list of winners here.
Dua, Salieu and Crookes claimed two awards apiece at this year’s UKMVAs - the awards show that celebrates the creativity that goes into the making of music videos and music film, both in the UK and beyond.
International artists whose videos took prizes at this year’s UKMVAs include Lil Nas X, Normani, Megan Thee Stallion, Salvatore Ganacci, Biting Elbows and Duck Sauce.
The 14th annual running of the UKMVAs saw the awards ceremony return to The Roundhouse for the first time in two years. With Covid protocols in place for an audience of over 800 music video-making professionals, the show was hosted for the first time by comedian Maisie Adam. Forty awards were handed out to directors, producers and other creatives who work behind the camera to create the music videos that millions enjoy every day on YouTube and elsewhere.
Ukranian director Tanu Muino became the first female to win the coveted Best Director award at the UKMVAs, for her work on hugely popular videos in the past year for Lil Nas X, Cardi B and Normani ft Cardi B – the latter also winning the award for Best R&B/Soul Video (International).
It was the video for Duck Sauce’s Mesmerize, directed by Keith Schofield, which took the big prize of the night. Created by Schofield during lockdown last year, employing basic animation and editing tools to realise his scurrilous vision of a celeb-filled nightclub, the video won Best Dance/Electronic Video (International), and then anointed as Video of the Year at the end of the show.
Among British winners, Dua Lipa’s video for Love Again, directed by Lope Serrano at CANADA, won Best Pop Video UK, while her longform concert film Studio 2054, directed by Liz Clare, won Best Music Film. Pa Salieu’s exceptional visual output over the past year was also recognised with two awards: the music video for My Family, featuring Backroad Gee, directed by Femi Ladi, won Best Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Video UK, and his performance of Frontline for Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, directed by TAWBOX, won Best Live Video.
Joy Crookes’s video for Feet Don’t Fail Me Now, which celebrates Indian culture in London, won two craft awards on the night, for Best Wardrobe Styling and the UKMVAs’ inaugural Best Hair & Makeup award.
Bicep’s video for Saku, featuring Clara La San, won the Best Visual Effects award, while Little Simz’s video for Introvert, won Best Editing in a Video.
Swedish/Bosnian dance producer Salvatore Ganacci won the inaugural Best Performance In A Video prize at the UKMVAs for his hilariously deadpan turn in the video for Step-Grandma, directed by his regular collaborator Vedran Rupic.
Celeste’s video for Tonight Tonight, directed by Noah Lee, won Best R&B Soul Video UK, while James Blake’s Say What You Will, directed by Bear Damon (and co-starring Finneas) won Best Alternative Video UK.
Beabadoobee’s Last Day On Earth, directed by Arnaud Bresson, won Best Rock Video UK. At the climax of the evening, Agile Films’s Precious Mahaga won the Best Producer award, and Sony Music video commissioner Kat Cattaneo won the Best Commissioner award – both for the first time.
There was also a special presentation of the UKMVAs’ Outstanding Achievement Award to Juliette Larthe for her longstanding contribution to UK music videos, as a producer, executive producer and co-founder of Prettybird, the UK and US-based production company. Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie presented the award to Larthe, and a filmed tribute and celebration of her career included messages from actress/director Samantha Morton, supermodel Naomi Campbell, photographer/director Nick Knight, and artists Gilbert & George.
The winners are:
Best Pop Video – UK in association with Cinelab Film & Digital
Winner: Dua Lipa – Love Again
Director: Lope Serrano aka CANADA
Producers: Karen Saurí, Oscar Romagosa
Prod co: CANADA
Commissioner: Katie Dolan for Warner Records
Best R&B / Soul Video – UK
Winner: Celeste – Tonight Tonight
Director: Noah Lee
Producers: Kate Brady, Suzan Mustafa
Prod co: Riff Raff Films
Commissioner: Marco Grey for Polydor Records
Best Dance / Electronic Video – UK
Winner: Hot Chip, Jarvis Cocker – Straight To The Morning
Director: RÉALITÉ
producer: Karen Saurí
Prod co: CANADA
Commissioner: John Moule for Domino Recording Co
Best Rock Video – UK
Winner: Beabadoobee – Last Day On Earth
Director: Arnaud Bresson
Producer: Théo Gall
Prod co: DIVISION
Commissioner: Chris Melian for Dirty Hit Records
Best Alternative Video – UK
Winner: James Blake – Say What You Will
Director: Bear Damen
Producer: Salim El Arja
Prod co: Couscous
Commissioner: Semera Khan for Polydor Records
Best Hip Hop / Grime / Rap Video – UK
Winner: Pa Salieu ft Backroad Gee – My Family
Director: Femi Ladi
Producer: Mathias Gilay
Prod co: Untold Studios
Commissioner: Oksi Odedina for Warner Records
Best Pop Video – International
Winner: Lil Nas X ft Jack Harlow – Industry Baby
Director: Christian Breslauer
Producers: Andrew Lerios, Luga Podesta, Saul Levitz, Brandon Bonfiglio
Prod co: London Alley
Commissioner: Saul Levitz for Columbia Records
Best R&B / Soul Video – International
Winner: Normani x Cardi B – Wild Side
Director: Tanu Muino
Producer: Jack Winter
Prod co: UnderWonder Content
Commissioners: Camille Yorrick & Chris Clavadetscher for RCA Records
Best Dance / Electronic Video – International
Winner: Duck Sauce – Mesmerize
Director: Keith Schofield
Repped by Caviar
Commissioner: Katy Eggleton for Duck Sauce
Best Rock Video – International
Winner: Biting Elbows – Boy Is Dead
Director: Ilya Naishuller
Prod co: Versus Pictures
Commissioner: MTS
Best Alternative Video – International
Winner: Sansara – We Will Become Better
Director: Andzej Gavriss
Producers: Egor Solomatin, Mikhail Marizov, Evgeny Primachenko, Andrei Gubaidullin, Alexandra Galius
Prod co: Daddy's Film
Commissioner: Egor Solomatin for Nepokoi
Best Hip Hop / Grime / Rap Video – International
Winner: Megan Thee Stallion – Thot Shit
Director: Aube Perrie
Exec producer: Boris Labourguigne
Producer: Sarah Park & Nick Callais
Prod co: Left Productions
Commissioner: Lucas Prevost for 300 Entertainment
Best Pop Video – Newcomer
Winner: Drew Sycamore – 45 Fahrenheit Girl
Director: Jonatan Egholm Keis
Producer: Jonatan Egholm Keis
Prod co: New Land
Commissioner: Jan-Erik Stig for Warner Music Denmark
Best R&B / Soul Video – Newcomer
Winner: Bamao Yendé & Le Diouck – Marvin Gueye
Director: Vincent Catel
Producer: Roman Pichon Herrera & Pierre-Edouard Sigwalt
Prod co: Diplomats
Commissioner: Max Le Disez for Boukan Records
Best Dance / Electronic Video – Newcomer
Winner: Modeselektor – Mean Friend
Director: Abigail Wilson
Producer: Paulien Voorkamp
Prod co: Bwgtbld
Commissioner: Matthias Klein / C/O Magick for Sony Music
Best Rock Video – Newcomer
Winner: Jeremy Ivey – Someone Else's Problem
Director: Kimberly Stuckwisch
Producer: Ian Blair
Prod co: Invisible Inc
Commissioner: Ryan Marian for Anti Records
Best Alternative Video – Newcomer
Winner: Audiobooks – Lalala It's The Good Life
Director: Rottingdean Bazaar
Producer: Rosie Brear
Prod co: Blink Productions
Commissioner: Danny Mitchell & Jeff Barrett for Heavenly Recordings
Best Hip Hop / Grime / Rap Video – Newcomer
Winner: Homeboy Sandman – Monument
Director: Pavel Buryak
Producers: Gretta Wilson, Pavel Buryak
Prod co: Rafesthetic.tv
Commissioner: Angel Del Villar for Mello Music Group
Best Performance in a Video
Winner: Salvatore Ganacci – Step-Grandma
Performer: Salvatore Ganacci
Director: Vedran Rupic
Prod co: Business Club Royale
Record co: Zatara Recordings
Best Production Design in a Video
Winner: DJ Snake & Selena Gomez – Selfish Love
Production designer: Taísa Malouf
Director: Rodrigo Saavedra
Prod co: The Directors Bureau & LANDIA
Record co: Interscope
Best Wardrobe Styling in a Video in association with i-D
Winner: Joy Crookes – Feet Don't Fail Me Now
Stylists: Matthew Josephs (Joy Crookes) Natalie Roar (cast)
Director: Taz Tron Delix
Prod co: COMPULSORY
Record co: Sony Music Entertainment
Best Hair & Make-Up in a Video in association with Loop Talent
Winner: Joy Crookes – Feet Don't Fail Me Now
Stylist: Mata Marielle (MUA), Issac Poleon (Hair)
Director: Taz Tron Delix
Prod co: COMPULSORY
Record co: Sony Music Entertainment
Best Choreography in a Video
Winner: Purple Disco Machine ft Moss Kena & The Knocks – Fireworks
Choreographer: Adam Beta
Director: Greg Barth
Prod co: Common People Films & Rekorder
Record co: Sony Music Entertainment
Best Cinematography in a Video in association with Panalux
Winner: Califato ¾ – Fandangô de carmen porter
DOP: Michal Babinec
Director: Nono Ayuso
Prod co: Landia & Dude Originals
Record co: Breaking Bass Records
Best Colour Grading in a Video in association with CHEAT
Winner: Bastille – Distorted Light Beam
Colourist: Alex Gregory
Director: Jak Payne
Prod co: Blink Productions
Record co: Virgin Records
Best Editing in a Video in association with Homespun
Winner: Little Simz – Introvert
Editor: Elise Butt at Trim Editing
Director: Salomon Lighthelm
Prod co: Prettybird UK
Record co: AWAL
Record co: Animal 63
Best Visual Effects in a Video in association with LEAP
Winner: Bicep ft Clara La San – Saku
VFX artist: Alexis Baillia at Firm Studio
Director: David Betram
Prod co: Diplomats
Record co: Ninja Tune
Best Animation in a Video
Winner: L'Impératrice – Hématome
Animators: Roxane Lumeret, Jocelyn Charles, Chloé Farr
Director: Roxane Lumeret & Jocelyn Charles
Prod co: Studio Remembers
Record co: Microqlima
Best Special Video Project
Winner: Topaz Jones – Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma
Directors: rubberband., Topaz Jones
Producer: Luigi Rossi
Prod co: SMUGGLER
Record co: New Funk Academy / Black Canopy
Best Live Video
Winner: Pa Salieu – Frontline (live on Jimmy Fallon)
Director: TAWBOX
Producer: Ghandi El-Chamaa
Prod co: Film Band
Record co: Atlantic Records
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